Vietnamese EV maker VinFast has unveiled two ultra-luxury electric vehicles — the Lac Hong 800S SUV and Lac Hong 900S sedan — at a time when the company is quietly scaling back its early ambitions in Europe.
The new models, positioned at the top of a newly created Lac Hong luxury brand, mark a strategic pivot as the young carmaker recalibrates its global expansion following a difficult launch phase in Western markets.
Expected around 2027, both vehicles share a high-performance electric platform featuring a tri-motor all-wheel-drive setup that produces up to 460 kW (roughly 615 hp).
Targeting Rolls-Royce Cullinan or Mercedes-Maybach
The Lac Hong 900S is conceived as an ultra-luxury limousine with a long wheelbase and chauffeur-focused interior, including reclining rear seats, a privacy partition, and high-end entertainment features.
The 800S, meanwhile, is a flagship luxury SUV targeting the same ultra-premium clientele that might otherwise consider a Rolls-Royce Cullinan or Mercedes-Maybach GLS.
The new models are closely related to the Lac Hong 900 LX, an electric state limousine VinFast previously built for the Vietnamese government.
That vehicle was designed to transport visiting heads of state during Vietnam’s national celebrations and diplomatic events. Some versions of the Lac Hong 900 LX were reportedly armored to VPAM VR7 standards, a European ballistic protection certification for security vehicles capable of withstanding high-powered rifle fire, such as 7.62 mm rounds (NATO rifle ammunition or AK-47-type).
The German-developed VPAM scale is widely used for armored government limousines and diplomatic SUVs. It is comparable to protection levels offered in models such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Guard, BMW 7 Series Protection, or Range Rover Sentinel.
Vehicles built to this level typically feature reinforced steel and composite armor, thick ballistic glass, and run-flat tires, adding substantial weight but enabling them to operate under severe security threats.
In effect, the new Lac Hong cars can be seen as the civilian evolution of that program, translating a national prestige vehicle into a production luxury brand.
Broader portfolio restructuring
The launch forms part of a broader restructuring of VinFast’s automotive portfolio. The company now divides its vehicles into three segments: the Lac Hong line for ultra-luxury models, the VF series for mainstream passenger EVs, and a ‘Green’ range aimed at commercial mobility services such as fleet cars, taxis, and ride-hailing vehicles.
VinFast’s consumer lineup currently spans models from the small VF3 city SUV to the larger VF8 and VF9 electric SUVs that were intended for export markets.
The luxury models are unlikely to become high-volume sellers. Instead, they serve as technological and brand flagships designed to demonstrate engineering capability and elevate VinFast’s image globally.
Adjusting international ambitions
This repositioning also comes as VinFast adjusts its international ambitions. The company pursued one of the fastest global expansions in modern automotive history, going from founding in 2017 to exporting electric vehicles to the United States and Europe within about five years.
Early launches, however, proved difficult. Reviews of the first VF8 models highlighted software and refinement issues, and sales volumes in Western markets remained modest.
In Europe, the strategy has already shifted significantly. In 2025, VinFast closed its company-owned showrooms across the continent and abandoned its direct-sales retail model.
Instead, the company is transitioning to partnerships with traditional dealership groups in countries such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The move drastically reduced operational costs and reflected slower-than-expected demand.
For Belgium specifically, VinFast currently has no dedicated retail network. Any potential sales would likely rely on nearby dealer partners in neighbouring markets.
No presence in Belgium yet
As a result, the company’s presence in Belgium remains limited and uncertain, particularly as it concentrates resources on Southeast Asian markets such as Indonesia, India, and the Philippines.
VinFast is also testing the European public-transport sector. At Busworld Europe in Brussels, the company presented its EB8 and EB12 electric buses as a first step toward entering the continent’s e-bus market.
While no European fleet orders have been confirmed so far, electric buses already operate at scale in Vietnam through the VinBus network, where several hundred VinFast-built buses run urban routes in cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The company appears to see buses as another pillar of a broader electric mobility ecosystem alongside its passenger EVs and fleet vehicles.
Europe’s car market is not entirely abandoned, but it is no longer the primary focus of VinFast’s global expansion. The company is exploring opportunities in commercial mobility, including electric buses and fleet vehicles, which could potentially reach European markets earlier than its passenger EVs.
